You can request your operative note from the hospital and see how they described the damage to the uterus and if there was any extension of the original scar. Also, your new doc will want to see it to best make recommendations for your care. The docs at my hospital usually specially state if VBAC is not an option in the future in their note so there is no question. Best of luck to you mama!

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Wife. Midwife. Mother. Not necessarily in that order depending on the day!

I wouldn't feel comfortable attempting a trial of labor after and I say that with experience. I had a partial rupture - ironically in a location completely separate from my previous c-section scar. When we got pregnant again I knew we would simply be going with scheduled c-sections from there on out. My second son was a successful vbac and my third was the partial rupture and c-section birth I mentioned above.

What you had sounds like a uterine window not a rupture.

I'm personally at a point of peace with my scheduled repeat c-sections and will be having my 4th c-section in 9.5 weeks.

I don't remember hearing that term, but it seems a lot of people agree that that it sounds like a window. I will have to google what that means haha.

Do you mind me asking, was it difficult to come to terms with csections? I still grieve about mine, today I cried (which prompted this post). My LOs are 3 and 18 months, and I am still very upset that I could not birth them vaginally, though I know that both csections were valid and not just caused by snip happy OBs (I saw midwives with both pregnancies).

I will be the oddball and say that I would attempt a VBAC (in a hospital) if I had the same history.

Thanks for the link, I will checking out when I am done here

Yeah, the term "window" was never used by the doc who did the surgery. I didn't know there was a technical term for what I had, they just kept saying "so glad we got baby out, you were so close to rupturing!" (Which I think was spurred on by the hemorrhaging I had afterward, even though I'm not sure it was related since they were able to get him out before I ruptured)

I'd say it would depend entirely on how your uterus was looking when you were pregnant. With a history of a near-rupture, I'd expect that they'll be checking the thickness of the uterine wall as you get close to term anyways. If all is looking well, then you could talk to your ob about trying it with careful monitoring, and the OR ready to go if necessary. If it's not, well then you'll know!

A friend of mine had a c-section with her first, tried labour with her second and began to rupture and needed a repeat section, and though she begged for an early section with her third, she started labour and began to rupture again before they actually did the surgery. (the doctor made them wait for some unknown reason....?!) Her life and the baby's were jeopardized that time. It took 45 min to resuscitate the baby. Sometimes it just doesn't work out the way we hope.

In normal circumstances, a VBAC is a great choice - I'm definitely an advocate! But it always has to be an informed choice, and you've got to know what you're up against.

You can request your operative note from the hospital and see how they described the damage to the uterus and if there was any extension of the original scar. Also, your new doc will want to see it to best make recommendations for your care. The docs at my hospital usually specially state if VBAC is not an option in the future in their note so there is no question. Best of luck to you mama!

Oh I definitely plan on requesting copies of my files when we decide its time to start TTC. I may ask now, just so I have an idea of what I'm up against. I don't really knw what all is in the notes. Thanks for making me think about that!

I remember hearing/reading once, a couple years ago, about "family centered" csections. A way that csection moms can still feel like they have a more natural, calm experience and not a cold, sterile one. Does anyone have success stories about those? I would love nothing more than to be able to hold and nurse my newborn little one immediately following birth (even if it means being naked on the OR table and having someone help me). It breaks my heart to know both my sons were wiped down, weighed and measured, and put in a bassinet or someone else's arms for an hour after their entry into this world.

If I must be doomed to a motherhood of sections, I need to find a way to make it as best as I can

I have not heard of that and there are woman in my group who have had 3+ C/S (along with the scar tissue that comes with that) who have attempted/succeeded in having VBACs, but like I said, I don't know any specifics and every situation is different.

My scar tissue is excessive. I have had to have surgery to remove some of the excess scar tissue. It was causing excruciating pain. For this reason if we do have another it will be our last as it only gets worse for me.

I don't remember hearing that term, but it seems a lot of people agree that that it sounds like a window. I will have to google what that means haha.

Do you mind me asking, was it difficult to come to terms with csections? I still grieve about mine, today I cried (which prompted this post). My LOs are 3 and 18 months, and I am still very upset that I could not birth them vaginally, though I know that both csections were valid and not just caused by snip happy OBs (I saw midwives with both pregnancies).

It was difficult. My first c section could have been prevented and that haunted me for a long time. My vbac was healing but if I'd had my third son first I probably would never have tried for a vbac. In a perfect world I would have all natural home births. But the world is not perfect and that is not God's plan for me. My scheduled c-section with my daughter was great. They showed her to me right away and she stayed in the our with us until they were ready to when me back to our room. They did her weight and all that right in my recovery room where I could see and be a part. If it hadn't been such a positive experience I wouldn't be pregnant again now.

I remember hearing/reading once, a couple years ago, about "family centered" csections. A way that csection moms can still feel like they have a more natural, calm experience and not a cold, sterile one. Does anyone have success stories about those? I would love nothing more than to be able to hold and nurse my newborn little one immediately following birth (even if it means being naked on the OR table and having someone help me). It breaks my heart to know both my sons were wiped down, weighed and measured, and put in a bassinet or someone else's arms for an hour after their entry into this world.

If I must be doomed to a motherhood of sections, I need to find a way to make it as best as I can

I'm going to copy and paste from a previous discussion, but there's some great info here!

This is from the Banned From Baby Showers Blog.

The Mother-Friendly Cesarean - A Ceci Jane video debut

I have mixed feelings about writing this post. I don't want to glorify the cesarean or make it look desirable. It's become so common to elect for a cesarean section instead of experiencing childbirth. I honestly believe fear is at the root of this epidemic. I've been there with my first baby - I get it. But that is not the purpose of this post.

This post is about those women who want and have planned for an unmedicated birth. They dream of the water birth in the quiet, dimly-lit room, where their baby is baby is placed immediately on their chest. They want to experience the oxytocin and bonding that is held so precious in natural birth circles. They want to be empowered through their natural birth.

Every now and then a cesarean birth becomes the only option. I'm not talking about the mom who didn't do any classes and has placed all her trust in her OB who tells her it's dangerous to go past 40 weeks and her baby is too big anyway. I'm talking about the mom who truly has no other options. My graphic designer for Birth Boot Camp, who had a bicornuate, or heart-shaped, uterus. She tried everything possible to get the baby to turn before finding out why her baby couldn't get head-down, or even butt-down. It broke her heart to have a cesarean.

Sometimes a cesarean is actually even a better option than a vaginal birth. I bet that surprises many of my readers to hear me say that. I've been talking with a mom, who, at 18, gave her baby up for adoption. She had an episiotomy which led to a 4th degree tear, or into the rectum. For many years, she has lived with a poorly stitched perineum and has had many issues. She had a reconstructive surgery, but is still dealing with problems and pain. Now, at 9 months pregnant, she's been advised to have a cesarean. She's getting a second opinion, of course, but she is devastated. She's been preparing for and looking forward to a homebirth. The doctor explained that the skin and muscles between the vagina and rectum are paper thin and she has a significantly shorter perineum. He is convinced that the baby will tear things open as he/she passes through. He said she is certain to be looking at another surgery with probable lifetime incontinence and even leaking fecal matter through the vagina. Of course, there is no guarantee that is how things are going to go down, but at some point, you are left deciding which surgery do you want to recover from? Which possible life-long effects from which surgery are you more "willing" to deal with? I am grateful I was never forced to make a decision like that. I honestly am not sure what I would choose and it's not my place to tell her what I think she should do. She is informed and she will make the right decision for her family.

The moms that have been in this position are left mourning the loss of what they didn't have - their natural birth. All the "at least you have a healthy baby" comments often make them feel guilty for being sad about their birth. It's OK to be sad or disappointed. If the sadness is interfering with bonding or parenting, seek help. Talking about it with people who understand will help.

If you are in this situation of having an unwanted cesarean, it doesn't have to look so different from the immediate postpartum vaginal birth. Many women want their baby immediately and they don't want to delay breastfeeding. My good friend, Ceci Jane, recently filmed a birth video for a family desiring a Mother-Friendly cesarean. She called me immediately after this birth, so excited! She said it was amazing, that it "felt" very much like a vaginal birth. I've worked with Ceci on a number of projects, including Birth Boot Camp (read about her version of recording/editing the documentary-style classes), and I knew she had been asked to film this video a few months ago. I am honored she allowed this debut to take place here on Banned From Baby Showers. The mother and father were treated with such respect and their wishes were honored. Rather than spoiling this special video, I'll let it speak for itself. Grab your tissues.

Uriah Nehemiah from Ceci Jane on Vimeo.

So, you've seen the video, but the question inevitably comes up - What makes this a Mother-Friendly Cesarean? You are always hearing me talk about the Mother-Friendly Childbirth Initiative written by CIMS. Many of those steps can be applied to cesarean birth as well. A Mother-Friendly cesarean is a gentle cesarean, for one. The baby - and the mother - is not handled so aggressively. The cord is not immediately clamped, but rather the baby receives all of its cord blood. Mother has the baby handed to her in a matter of seconds. In this birth video, baby stayed on his mama's chest for a solid 2 hours. Baby breastfeeds soon after birth, like a vaginally born baby would. Newborn procedures, including weighing the baby, were delayed until parents were ready. Like anything else, if the consumer demands things be done a certain way, eventually, we will see change. If you find yourself in this situation, where a cesarean is the last - or best - option for you and your baby, request a Mother-Friendly cesarean.

Ultimately, no matter how your baby enters the world, you are becoming his or her parents. We wish a gentle birth for all babies, but so much of that is about the first minutes and hours of his/her life. We talk so often about natural birth being empowering, but empowerment also comes from knowledge and making informed decisions and having those wishes and decisions respected. Some of the best mothers I know had cesarean births. You can still breastfeed, co-sleep, and wear your baby. Ultimately, it doesn't make you a better mother just because your baby came out of your vagina.

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Me DH married for 12 years, parents to 7 small people
Five of these: and two of these: including our newest addition, born 26-08-13

Is that something that can be determined through ultrasound? I don't remember them saying they could see it, but my last hospital I don't think they really said anything about what they were checking other than heartbeat or estimated size of baby.

Not that I know of. My OB has just reviewed my charts and the surgical notes. My scar is at the top of the uterus which is apparently more risky than the bottom of the uterus. It is more of an analytical sort of thing than anything else.